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After spending the day with our amazing tour guide, Murat, we decided to ask him to create a new itinerary for our second day while in the Belfast area.

This customized tour did not disappoint! On Tuesday, October 5th, we walked down to the lobby of our hotel a bit early and Murat was there, right in front, with the Van’s door open, with a big smile on his face, greeting us with his warm welcome.

He quickly whisked us off to the Armagh Museum in Northern Ireland, located on the edge of the tree-lined Mall in the centre of Armagh city. The museum is the oldest County Museum in Ireland opened in 1937. We were able to take our time, walking through all the exhibits, taking us through the history of Armagh.

Once we finished up at the Museum, we were able to take a short stroll over to St Patrick’s Cathedral. Did you know this place has been destroyed and rebuilt 17 times??? I wish my pictures were able to capture how breathtaking this church is. Between the vaulted ceiling and stained glass windows, it was beautiful. Once again, after taking our time walking through, Murat was waiting for us with the luxury Mercedes Van, right out front of the church. Did I mention he has a frig in the back of this vehicle? The offer of cold drinks was so welcomed for me and the family.

On the lovely ride back to Belfast through the countryside, Murat filled us in with interesting facts and history as we passed by different landmarks. Of special note, he took the time to engage with a meaningful conversation with our daughter who just graduated from Queens University. It’s clear they both have a passion for history as well as the travel bug.

For our next part of the tour, Murat took us through area were the “Troubles” occurred and that included , Falls Road, the Peace Wall, Shankill Road, International Mural Wall Divis Street, Shankill Road and the Bobby Sands Mural. His wealth of knowledge, was informative and the very personal stories were both fascinating and sobering . To learn the history and be on the streets where so much bloodshed occurred was an experience unlike anything I’ve ever done before. Murat’s respectable manner of telling both sides of story was impeccable.

Next stop, Belfast Castle! While it was still closed due to COVID, Murat was able to tell us about the ” 9 cats scavenger hunt” and we had a great time looking for them throughout the garden! The lawns were meticulous and the landscaping was beyond stunning.

Last stop, Afternoon Tea at the Merchant Hotel. Our fabulous tour guide made all the arrangements for this opulent experience. This is a must do if you are visiting Belfast. We are so glad we invited Murat to join us at the table, as he ensured our dietary needs were followed, we had a member of the family who is Vegan and another one that has a nut allergy. While he was our guest for tea, he continue to be so diligent in taking care of us!!!!

During our tea, I almost order a “VERY” expensive cocktail by accident! (Caution! Please look at the price tag for the Sazerac with Vintage Bourbon / Vintage Cognac / Bitters) After he confirmed that I was not interested in that particular cocktail, he asked one of the waiters to bring the vintage bourbon bottle over and they explained why the $. We had such a good laugh and I am grateful for Murat’s ever watchful eye, always looking out for us.